


Ghost In The Machine

by HMS AUs (HMSquared)



Series: The Hounds of Vegas Universe [18]
Category: Original Work, World Wrestling Entertainment
Genre: Alternate Universe - Police, Alternate Universe - Vegas, Cameos, Chatting & Messaging, Coma, Gen, Hospitals, Missing Scene, Original Universe, Pre-Slash, Realization, Time Skips
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-24
Updated: 2020-01-05
Packaged: 2021-02-26 07:01:54
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,399
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21939394
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/HMSquared/pseuds/HMS%20AUs
Summary: In which Dean and Finn go to see Seth (separately, of course) after he winds up in the hospital.
Relationships: Dean Ambrose | Jon Moxley & Seth Rollins | Tyler Black
Series: The Hounds of Vegas Universe [18]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1401376
Kudos: 5





	1. Dean

**Author's Note:**

> I had no intention of writing this, but the idea came to me last night. Thank you, brain!

_August 2, 2016-5:30 a.m._

Wearing a Bengals baseball cap and leather jacket, Dean found himself standing in the lobby of the Las Vegas Medical Center. His hands were in his pockets, shaking like leaves against the fabric.

There was a young blonde woman sitting behind the counter. Nervously walking up to her, Dean swallowed so his voice didn't waver.

"Hi, I'm looking for someone." The receptionist looked up; her nametag read "Dana."

"Of course, sir. Do you have a name?" Dean chewed on his tongue and thought.

"I don't know if he had his wallet on him. All I know is he has dark hair and he got shot." Nodding, Dana typed, scrolling through the hospital records.

"We actually had someone fitting that description come in just last night. No ID was found on the scene, and his fingerprints turned up empty."

"A John Doe," Dean muttered grimly. Dana didn't seem to hear him.

"He's in room 401. Sign here." She handed over a sign in sheet. Putting down the time, Dean wrote "Jon Moxley" in the little box. It was the name he used for wrestling, and no one had caught on yet.

"Okay, thank you." He started for the elevator when Dana called after him.

"Sir?"

"Yes?"

"Good luck." A rare smile appeared on the former cop's face.

"Thanks."

In retrospect, Dean wasn't expecting anything in particular. He didn't even know if Seth was alive. He just remembered getting the email from Jericho with the footage. The image of his friend collapsing in the alley would be burned in his skull forever.

As he reached room 401, Dean slowed. Pulling his cap lower, he rounded the corner…and there was the Architect.

Seth had tubes in his nose and arms. His eyes were closed, a small smile dotting his face. The heart-rate monitor calmly beeped; despite all these things, Dean could tell he was in a coma. The bandages partly gave it away.

"Hey, Seth," he whispered, stepping closer to the bed. Unsurprisingly (and thankfully), his friend gave no response. There was a chair next to the dresser; dragging it toward him, Dean sat down and stared at his friend. What more was there to say?

On a whim, he reached for Seth's right hand. Once again, there was no response. Smiling, Dean took his fingers and squeezed. It felt so weird, so cordial…but it was what he needed. Even if Randy didn't approve.

There was a poster on the wall of a cat. Under it in light blue lettering were the words, "Get Well Soon!" Rising, Dean reached over and quietly ripped it off. What Seth really needed were some flowers.

  
  
  



	2. Finn

_ August 1, 2016-11:25 p.m. _

It was a quiet night at the precinct. Most of the officers had gone home to their families, and now only two of them remained.

Finn was quietly sitting at his desk, listening to rock music as he worked. He’d been on probation for the last several months; because that’s how he was, Triple H had assigned lots of paper work. But the Irishman didn’t seem to mind, bobbing his head with a smile on his face.

Meanwhile, Stephanie was sitting in her husband’s office, staring off into space. Her mind swirled with ideas, thoughts and feelings she tried not to acknowledge. But they were there, begging for attention.

The Authority. Such a simple idea, but in practice, the simplest ideas are the ones that fail. Stephanie had joined it on a whim; she loved Hunter, and was willing to go along with it.

But then something had happened. Right after the incident back in June, Stephanie had gotten an anonymous email. Attached was a file detailing classified information involving her father, Vince. None of it was good.

Stephanie hadn’t had the best relationship with Vince. He was strict at times, delusional, had the occasional angry flare-up. But she had convinced herself nothing was wrong. That file proved otherwise.

Since then, she had sat, watching Finn work and trying to think. Answers never came to her, but she desperately needed them. Change was coming to Las Vegas, and nothing would be the same. 

_ How are you doing tonight, Stephanie? _

The question appeared in a box on her computer screen. Giving a start, Stephanie leaned forward. There was no name on the message, no indication of who it was from. Not at first, anyway.

**_You’re...the person who sent me files on my father._ **

_ The very same. _

**_Who are you?_ **

_ Just a ghost in the machine. My identity is not important. _

Alright, fair enough. Stephanie’s foot twitched, causing her to frown. Something was up.

**_What do you want?_ **

_ Nothing, actually. But I know you’re not Hunter, and I know how you’d feel if something happened to one of his subordinates. _

**_What are you talking about?_ **

_ You’ll see. _

There was a link after the stranger’s response. More curious than afraid, Stephanie clicked on it. What she saw...she could never unsee.

It was security cam footage of an alley somewhere on the strip. As Stephanie watched, an older gentleman carrying bags of takeout appeared. She recognized him as Steve Borden, a retired cop, but wondered what he had in mind.

Then a second figure appeared, armed. Steve took one bullet and fell, the bags scattering across the ground. The figure turned around...and Stephanie was staring at the face of Seth Rollins.

For some reason, that didn’t scare her. But as she watched, another person came into the scene. As he checked Steve, Seth turned to go...and then he himself buckled.

Hunter. That’s who had shot him. Hands flying over her mouth, Stephanie tried not to scream. Seth wasn’t the most upstanding individual, but she still respected him. And deep down, she knew not even he deserved that.

The footage continued, sped up. After thirty minutes, it slowed as an ambulance pulled up. Seth was carted inside; Hunter had taken Steve’s body with him, presumably to burn. At first approximation, it looked like a mugging gone wrong.

**_Why are you showing me this?_ **

_ Because he’s alive, Stephanie, at least for the time being. If this “mugging” gets reported, Hunter will bury it. You just have to make sure he doesn’t find out about Seth’s status. _

**_Okay...so what do I do with the footage?_ **

_ Show it to Fozzy over there. I know there was an incident, but he still needs to know. _

**_Thank you._ **

It took a minute for a response to appear.

_ Seth may be an ass, but Hunter’s worse. _

And to her surprise, Stephanie smiled at that.

_ August 2, 2016-9:35 a.m. _

When Finn entered the hospital, he wasn’t sure what to expect. He didn’t even know if Seth was still alive. It had been 10 hours, after all. Things can change in the blink of an eye.

“Can I help you?” Dana was still behind the reception desk, drinking coffee out of a pink mug. Walking up to her, Finn smiled.

“I’m looking for a friend of mine, he...got a few bullets put in him.” She nodded.

“Let me guess. John Doe, room 401?”

“How did you…”

“Someone came to visit earlier. Sign here.” She passed over the sheet, which Finn examined. Above the blank space were two boxes labeled “Jon Moxley.” He didn’t know who that was, but hoped it was a friend.

The elevator ride up was nice and calm, giving Finn a chance to think. He wondered if Seth would be happy to see him. They hadn’t spoken much since the incident; for all he knew, the Architect wanted him dead.

The doors opened, and Finn found himself face to face with another man. He was wearing a Bengals baseball cap, a leather jacket, and a startled expression. Not recognizing him, the Irishman cheerfully said,

“Have a good day,” and got off. The man got onto the elevator, tilting his head as the doors closed. Not thinking much of it, Finn kept walking.

Soon he reached Seth’s room. Creaking open the door, Finn swallowed. The Architect still had tubes in his body, the heart rate monitor beeping lazily.

Sitting on a dresser beside the bed were some blue orchids and a card. Smiling, Finn clutched his own gifts and pulled up a chair. Then he did nothing but wait for Seth to stir; they had so much to discuss.


End file.
